You mean a few pennies extra than you would get if you were claiming the dole?

Being a single Mum and working must be very hard indeed and I would sooner see them have more support if they are trying to get back on their feet than someone that perpetually claims dole and makes little effort to seek work. Personally, I think the dole should be absolute breadline - so much so, that people make sure they find work because they have to, or it's another week of beans on toast for them, and no ciggies. The dole should not be able to afford anyone any luxuries IMO.

Yep it's really annoying because my son is two I send him to nursery which costs £50.00 a week then the council tax they've added on £15.00 a week then my top up rent £37.00 a week I'm in fact worse off some weeks when I don't get any members and the monies not coming in.

I'm a limited company and I'm supposed to pay myself each week a wage but end up putting most of it back into the company at the moment.

My ex partner earns nearly £1000 a week he hasn't seen his son for a year and only pays £28.00 a month maintanance. It's really baffled me how he's got away with it and me and my son are struggling all the time._________________Would like to meet other business like minded people!

I live in Devon and run a growing business called Warmhearts hence name!

Yep a game of chess would be cool right now. Usually put the world to rights during a game of chess ha ha.

It doesn't really matter what the general public think about all the hardships ect ect the people that pull the strings don't have any idea about living on the breadline... _________________Would like to meet other business like minded people!

I live in Devon and run a growing business called Warmhearts hence name!

Have you been to your Citizens Advice Bureau? The state usually takes Mum's side of things in this kind of scenario and I'm sure you should be able to get a greater allowance from your ex. That's why "Fathers for Justice" has had such a following of late... because Dad's have been having a hard time of things (not to mention scaling Buckingham Palace in a Batman costume) such as the allowances they have to pay, their visiting rights, etc.

Thanks will check them out but because he is self employed and his family protect him he claims he only earns £120.00 a week as a fisherman.

I think his father pays his mortgage ect. I can't even get a mortgage again while my sons so small and I can only work part-time.

Anyway I'm not worried about the maintanance don't think I can get around that one but I wish the council ect would just help alittle more instead of taking I paid my taxes for 16 years._________________Would like to meet other business like minded people!

I live in Devon and run a growing business called Warmhearts hence name!

If your husband is self-employed, but has a Ltd. company, he can legitimately just claim a modest wage from his company and leave most of the money within the company and, I suspect, there's possibly little you can do about it. Depending on how well you get on with your ex, you could try to be rational with him and explain that the welfare of his son/daughter could be greatly improved with, say, an extra £10 a week but in most cases I imagine that kind of plea is a no-go from the off.

Have a word with some of those organisations above. I'm sure one or two will be able to give you the help you need.

I don't have a husband and haven't seen ex for 1 year either. He ran away from the responsability of his son and doesn't want to know.

I started Warmhearts and it's a limited company I pay myself minimum wage to help the business lift off I couldn't even get a business loan or anything because I was a single mum and now have to live in rented accomodation._________________Would like to meet other business like minded people!

I live in Devon and run a growing business called Warmhearts hence name!

The amount of maintenance payable used to be calculated according to the 'one third' rule, whereby both partners' incomes were added together, divided by three, and the wife would get that third minus her own income. So if the husband earned £50,000 and the wife earned £10,000, she would be entitled to £20,000 maintenance.